Bottle-washing machine.



A. H. WEHMILLER & J. W. DAWSON.

BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION IILED MAR. 10, 1910.

981,'960.- Patented Jan. 17, 191i.

3 8HEETS-8HEET 1.

A; H. -WEHMILLBR & J. W. DAWSON.

5 -BOTT LE WASHING MACHINE. lz fi i i rmcuron FILED undo. 1910.

v Patented Jan.17,1911.

a sums-mam 2.

3 ll :1 II ,I, l H I I I H I II II I A. H. WEHM I LLER & J. w. DAWSON. BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION TILED MAR. 10, 1910.

Patented Jan. 17, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

AIIiWEHmLLER. J MID/Mao.

4 STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED wEHiaI LLEn AND JOSEPH w. DAWSON, or sr. LOUIS, mIssoUn'I, AssIGnons T0 BABRY-WEHMILLER; MACHINERY COMPANY, or s'r. LOUIS, mssoum, A con- PORATION.

BOTTLE-WASHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an, 17, 1911;

rplicaaon filed March 10, 1910. Serial No. 548,404.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED H. \VEH- rumazn and Jossrn -W. Dawson, citizens of the United States of America, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri,- have invented certain new .and useful Improvements in Bottle-\Vashing Machines, of which the following is a' full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,

Our-invention relates to that class of machines used for washing bottles by conducting them in carriers through a tank containing a cleansing fluid, and the-invention has for its object the production of means whereby the gates of the bottlereceptacles may be quickly and efficiently operated previous to each discharge of the bottles from the receptacles after the bottles have been cleansed. The gates just referred tohave commonly been opened by means which actuated them slowly with the resultof permitting some of the bottles in each carrier receptacle escaping previously to the other bottles in the receptacle with resultant breakage of the bottles by one striking against another as they descend into the bottle receiving tank,

and by our'improycment we obviate. this objectionable wan-am; {hiring the opera tion of the machine.

Figure is a side elevation of a portion of a. bottle soaking machine having onr improvement incorporated therein. Fig. II is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. I. Fig. III is a top or plan view. Fig. IV is a vertical section taken on'irregular line IlV-IV, F ig. III.- Fig. V is an elevation of the upper end of the connecting rod in our mechanism and the coupling by which this connecting rod is attached to the trip mechanism. tion taken on line \"IVl. Fig. V.

In the accompanying drawings: 1 desig nates the tank of a bottle washing machine and 2 is a bearer extending laterally from the base upon which said tank is supported. This bearer has ad j ustably attached to it an upright frame near the upper end of which is a bracket arm 4:-

5 designates a guide box that is located adjacent to the upright frame 3 and is pro-' vided with a stem 3. see- Fig III, which is rotatably mounted in the bracket arm 4 and is adjustably held in a set posit-ion in Fig. VI is a vertical sec-' said bracket armby set screws 7. The guide box is adjustably supported in order that it may be set in a vertical osition or at any desired angle to accommo ate the movement .of a carrier chain, as will hereinafter more fully appear. i

8 designates one of the endless chains, preferably two in number, of the carrier by WhlCll the bottles to be washed are conducted through the bottle washing machine. This .chain operates through the guide box 5 and serves in conpmction with its companion chain to carry the bottle baskets or receptacles 9. The bottle baskets are connectedat intervals to the chains by connectilw" pieces 10 carried by the baskets and bolted or riveted to arms 11 carried by certain links of the chains, whereby the baskets are held 1n proper positions relative to the chains. The carrier chain 8 has attached to it' at the location of the connection thereto of each basket a lip or arm 19. which is preferably bolted or riveted to the arms 11 extending from the chain links and the connection pieces 1.0 of the baskets, as seen most clearly in Fig. IV. "The lips 12 are located exteriorly of the guide box 5 and are adapted to engage a trip arm as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Each baskett) is so attached to theemilesscarrier chains 8 as to cause the baskets to occupy inclined positions relative to the the basket heads 14 at the ends of the rods and cross rods 15 located at intervals be- 'tween and attached to the side rods 13. The cross rods 15' serve to hold the bottles in their compartments in the baskets during loo the movementof the carrier through the washing machine and they areadapted to be shifted longitudinally of the baskets to expose the-mouth ends of said compartments in order that the bottles maybe discharged are adapted to receive the engagement of 4 1 in a downward direction by each of said lips for the shaft '16.

l6 designates a rock shaft journaledin' a'memher to be hereinafter more particu- I said baskets are moved into the positions seen larly referred to.

the bracket arm 4 supported by the upright frame 3 and located at the rear-of said upright frame. e I

17 is a trip arm adjustably secured to a head lS-fixed to the inner end of the rock shaft 16, see Figs. IILand IV. This tri arm extends forwardl from the rock sha t 16 and is provided with a downwardly inclined inner end-'17 which is disposed in the path oftravel of the lips 12 attached to the carrier chain 8 opposite to each basket 9,-the trip arm beingadapted to be moved purpose of .rotatingthe rock 19 is a lever .a rm fixed to the outer end of the rock shaft 16 and in the free-end of which is mounted a bolt 20, see Figs. II,

, III, V and VI, that is provided with a ball head 21 at its outer end and aside from the lever arm 22 is'a connecting rod having a screw threaded upper end and'which is united to the bolt by a coupling socket sleeve 23 fitted to the ball head of said bolt and arrangedin threaded engagement with said connecting rod. Between the ball head 'of the bolt 20 and the upper end of the con- I necting rod is a socket block 24 and be n'eath the coupling sleeve is a jam nut 25.

The coupling provided by the members just recited between the lever arm 19 and the connecting rod 22 is of universal type, due to the described construction, and freedom of movement of the connecting rod both vertically and laterally duringthe movement of the lever arm is permitted.

26 designates a rocker pivoted at 27 to the frame of the machine, for instance to the bearer 2,.and provided with an outer lower arm 28 and an inner lower arm 29 and an upright arm 30. The connecting rod 22 is adjustably attached to theouter arm 28 of the rocker 26 and the inner arm 29 of said rocker has adjustably fitted to it a weight 31 by which the rocker is moved inwardly toward the path of travel of the gates of the baskets 9 during the operation of the mechanism as will hereinafter more fully appear.

32 is a bumper pivoted at 33 to the upperend of the upright 30 of the rocker 26 and which normall rests in a horizontal position upon a le ge 30' carried by said rocker arm. At the outer end of the bumper is a counterbalance 32 and mounted in the inner end of the bumper is an antifriction roller 34.

lows: When the baskets 9 of the carrier of i the washing machine have been filled with in the upper portion, of Fig. II, so that the cross rods lf of said gates will act to hold the bottles in their compartments in the bassxkets and the gates remain in i such positions that has reached the trip arm, "engages the j inclined inner end of said trip arm by pressmg thereagamst and moves "thertrip arm downwardly with the result of causing it to impart rotation to the rock shaft: 16. As a consequence of the rotation of said rock shaft, the lever arm 19fixed to said shaft is moved downwardly to adegree correspondmg to the degree of movement of the trip arm and acts in turn to impart movement to the connecting rod-22.- Sa1d connecting rod in its turn acts :upon the outer arm 28 of the rocker 26 withgithe result,of moving the upright arm 30 ofsaid rocker outwardly, in which action-the power of the weight 31 is overcome. As the upright arm-of the rocker moves" outwardly it' carries with it the bumper 32 and 'said bumper is thereby withdrawn from thejpath of downward movement'of the heads 14 of the basket gates to remain so withdrawn from'said path until movement of the carrierchaimS by the escape; of thelip .12 from engagement therewith. IVhen" th e'escape of the lip from the trip arm occurs the weight '31 acts to return the rocker 26 to its normal position, and the bumper 32 is carriedinwardly into forcible impact against the heady 14 of the basket gate opposite it. The bumper in this inward movement acts to shift the gate from a position similar to that illustrated in the upper portion of Fig. II, wherein the cross rods 15 serve to retain the bottles in thebaskets to a position similar to that illustrated in the lower portion of Fig. II, wherein said cross rods have been moved into positions opposite the partitions in the baskets, thus com- .pletely opening the mouths of the basket compartments for the simultaneous discharge of all of the bottles in the basket. The bumper is pivotally mounted in the rocker 26 in order that it may be capable of tilting in the event of its inner end being the triparm 17 hasbeen freed during the struck by the head of a gate that is descending to the bumper before the bumper is re tracted to shift the gate in its forward movement and the counterbalance at the outer end of the bumper serves to return the bumper toits horizontal position after it has been tiltedin orderthat it may be properly positioned to move in a direct course toward the gate it is-to operate.

\Ve claim: 7

1. The combination with the carrier of a bottle washing machine including bottle receptacles provided with gates, of a bumper for moving said gates, a Weight tending to move the bumper toward the gates, and means adapted to be operated by said carrier for moving said bumper away from the gates, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the carrier of a bottle washing machine including bottle receptacles for imparting movement to said gates, a rockable support for said bumper, a weight tending to rock the bumper toward the gates and means adapted to be operated by said carrier for actuating said weight, substantially as set forth.

3.. The combination with the carrier of a bottle washing machine including bottle re ceptacles, provided with gates, of a rockable bumper-for imparting movement to said gates, a. rockable weight controlled support for said bumper,and means adapted to be operated by said carrier for actuating said support, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination with the carrier of a bottle Washing machine including bottle receptacles provided with gates, of a rockable provided with gates, of a bumper bumper for imparting movement to said gates, a support to which said bumper is tiltably fitted, and means adapted to be operated by said carrier for moving said support, substantially as set forth.

The bottle washing machine including bottle receptacles provided with gates, of a rockable bumper for imparting movement to said gates, a support to which said bumper is tiltably fitted, and means adapted to be operated by said carrier for moving said-support; said bumper being provided with a weighted outer end, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the carrier of a bottle washing machine including bottle receptacles provided with slidable gates, of a rockable bumper adapted to strike said gates, a weight tending to rock the bumper into engagement with the gates, means for moving the bumper away from the gates and thenreleasing it, said means being controlled by the carrier.

ALFRED H. WEHMILLER. I JOSEPH W. DAWSON.

In presence of- HOWARD G. Coon, EDNA B. LINN.

combination with the carrier of a 

